Counter



J. NOONAN COUNTER Sept. 3, 1946.

Original Filed May 31, 1941 IIIIIIIill].-IlflllillhlfiilllnlIImIlmImlllumuullnn IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Sept. 3, 1946 CUUNTER John Neonan, St. Louis, Mo., assigncr to D. Finite, Chicago, ill.

@riginal application May 31, 1941, Serial No.

396,040. Divided and this application Decemher 13, 19%, Serial No. 568,033

2 Ciaims. 1

My present invention relates to a counter, such as the type used in restaurants for counting cups of coffee by manual depression each time a cup of coiiee is dispensed, the present application being a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 396,040, filed Ma 31, 1941, now abancloned.

One object of my invention is to provide a counter for the purpose mentioned or for any desired counting operation, wherein a simple mechanism for returning the counter to initial position, such as Zero, is manipulated through a relatively short stroke to return each of the indicia carrying elements to their initial positions, with parts of the return mechanism and the indicia carrying elements so cooperating as to insure that return will not be beyond such initial position,

Another object is to provide return mechanism for a plurality of indicia carrying elements consisting of a gear cooperating with gear elements of the indicia carrying elements to rotate such gear elements only the required number of teeth to bring the indicia carrying elements to their zero positions, the gearelements having projections to engage with stop mechanism, such as a disc sector of the return gear to prevent movement of the indicia carrying elements in a return direction beyond their initial or zero positions.

Still another object is to provide the return gears and the gear elements of the counter or" comparatively simple shapes so that they can be stamped from sheet metal without prohibitive waste, and can be readily assembled in the counter with a minimum of effort and time.

With these and other objects in view, my invention with respect to its features which I believe to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. For a better detailed understanding of the invention, and further objects relating to details of economy of my invention, reference is made to the following description and to the accompanying drawing wherein such further objects will definitely appear, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a counter embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional View thereof as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1, the parts being shown in normal position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the return gear being operated for the purpose of returning the indicia carrying elements to their initial positions.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference character it to indicate a housing, and i2 a removable cover therefor. The cover i2 may be retained in position as by removable pins I3.

Within the housing ii? I provide a main shaft i i on which are journaled indicia carrying elements A A and A Each indicia carrying element has a ratchet wheel it with which holding pawls ii and actuating pawls Iii are adapted to cooperate. Pawl springs 59 are provided to serve to bias the holding pawls ii to their ratchet engaging positions.

A yoke 2i? is pivoted on the main shaft M and carries an actuating pawl shaft 21 on which the pawls it are mounted. Pawl springs 2d serve to bias the pawls iii to their ratchet engaging positions. For actuating the yoke it] it has a cam member 2i adapted to be engaged b a cam lever '23 of an actuating element 29. The actuating element is provided on a cross-pin 3t and carries a knob 3! adapted to be depressed manually when the knob is depressed for operating the indicia carrying wheels A A and A The cam lever 28 rides along the cam piece M of the yoke 2%] to swing the yoke clockwise against the bias of a spring 32 connected with an extension 25 from the yoke,

For returning the indicia carrying elements A A or A to their respective initial or zero positions I provide gear elements G G and G thereon which are adapted to be actuated by a return gear comprising three gear sectors S1, S and S The sectors S S and S cooperate respectively with the gear elements G G and G The sectors are mounted on a shaft 33 so as to rotate therewith, and a return spring 35 is connected with a pin 35; extending through this shaft.

Outside of the housing ill a return lever 35: is secured to the shaft 33 and is adapted to be swung away from a stop pin 31 where it is normally retained by the spring 35 to a stopped position where an enlarged tooth 38 of each gear sector acts as a stop in conjunction with the gear elements, as will hereinafter be described.

Each gear element is provided with a plurality of teeth 39 and with a projection ii] which is bent away from the plane of the gear element, as shown in Fig. 4, order to miss striking the gear sector S. The teeth 33 are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear sectors during the return operation, whereas the projection 3!] is adapted to engage the periphery of a stop disc sector ll to prevent movement of the indicia carrying elements in a return direction past their initial positions, as will hereinafter appear.

Practical operation In the operation of my counter the knob 3i may be depressed from the position of Fig. 2 for running up one digit at a time on the indicia carrying element A and through proper cooperation of the pawls IS in a known manner, the indicia carrying elements A and A are moved one space in ten and one space in one hundred, respectively. When the knob is released, the spring 32 returns the knob for another counting operation when the knob is again depressed. During the return movement the holding pawls I'I prevent return rotation of the indicia carrying elements, there being one pawl for each element.

The knob 3| may be depressed any number of time and when it is desirable to return the counter to zero all of the indicia carrying elements A A and A may be simultaneously moved in a return direction by swinging the lever 36 in a counter-clockwise direction from the stop pin 31. This will cause the teeth of the respective gear sectors S S and S to engage the teeth of the gear elements G G and G and rotate each one until it assumes the angular position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon there are no further teeth 39 to mesh with the gear sector, and, accordingly, the indicia carrying element will stop its return rotation. The gear sectors may be rotated further, however, to insure that all of the indicia carrying elements will rotate to their zero positions, and, finally, th enlarged teeth 38 of the gear sectors will engage the outer ends of the teeth 39 of the gear elements to serve as a stop for the resetting movement of the lever 36.

To prevent momentum from carrying the indicia carrying element past zero position the pro jection 40 is arranged to engage the periphery of the disc sector 4| o as to prevent any further teeth of the gear element from meshing with those of the gear sector. The extent of the disc sector M is such as to take care of this for all numbers on the indicia carrying elements from 1 to 9, and the sector teeth run out of mesh with the gear teeth at the zero position of the gear element.

Since the disc 4| is only a sector of a disc, the gear sector, when returned by the spring 35 to its initial position, will not interfere with the subsequent operation of the counter by the disc sector being in the way of the arm 4!], and, likewise, the sector teeth will not interfere with the gear teeth as they are also out of the way, both as shown in Fig. 2.

The mechanism of my counter is comparatively simple and is foolproof in operation. The counter may be operated through as many cycles as desired, and there may be any number of gear sectors and indicia carrying elements instead of three, as illustrated. Regardless of the positions of the indicia carrying elements at any time, they may be quickly returned to zero position by a single motion of the lever 36 through about a half revolution. When the lever is permitted to return, the sector are free to move to their initial positions without catching on the gear elements, as the missing tooth of each gear element at that time is at the position shown in Fig. 3, where the sector teeth cannot mesh with the gear teeth. Finally, when the lever 36 strikes the stop pin 31 the counter may be operated again, with assurance that it will be started with all indicia carrying elements at zero.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a counter, a plurality of indicia carrying elements, an actuating element for said indicia carrying elements, means for returning each of said indicia carrying elements to its initial position comprising a gear element for each indicia carrying element, a return gear cooperable with each of said gear elements, means biasing said return gear to non-cooperating position with relation to said gear elements, each gear element having a position, when its respective indicia carrying element is at its initial position, where an elongated element of the gear element is bent out of the plane of the remaining teeth to discontinue actuation of said indicia carrying elemerit by said return gear, and a stop for said elongated element operable to prevent movement of the elongated element past initial position of the respective indicia carrying elements as they are moved in a return direction, said stop being carried by said return gear to effect removal of said stop from its stopping position when the indicia carrying element is to b moved in a counting direction.

2. In a counter, an indicia carrying element, means for actuating said element for counting purposes, means for returning said element to its initial position comprising a gear sector, a gear carried by said indicia carrying element and adapted to mesh with said gear sector, said gear having a projection, said projection being at the zero gear tooth position and offset from the plane of the gear teeth, a disc sector carried by said gear sector, said offset projection of said gear being cooperable with the periphery of said disc sector when said projection is in a position adjacent said gear sector and permitting passage of the gear sector for indicia carrying element return purposes without further rotation thereof beyond the zero position.

JOHN NOONAN. 

